Augustus newell



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

A. NEWELL & O. KEHR.

GAS HOLDER.

Patented May 20, 1890.

(No ModeL) 2 Sheets-+Sheet 2. A. NEWELL & G. KEHR.

GAS HOLDER.

N 423,127, Patented May 20, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS NEVELL, OF CHICAGO, AND CYRUS KEHR, OF WVINNETKA, ILLI- NOIS; SAID KEHR ASSIGNOR TO SAID NEIVELL.

GAS-HOLDER.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,127, dated May 20, 1890.

Application filed September 9, 1889. Serial No. 323,390. (No model.)

To all whom it may coll/corn.-

Be it known that we, AUGUSTUS NEWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and CYRUS KEHR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winnetka, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas- Holders; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements upon the form of gas-holder described in an application filed by the said Augustus Nowell on the 15th day of June, 1889, Serial No. 314,511, for Letters Patent for improvements in gas-holders.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a gas-holder embodying our improvement. Fig. 2 is a detail showing a modification. Fig. 3 is a bottom View of the roof of the holder. Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing a sealed man-hole, affording access to the interior of the holder.

The holder has an annular iron sealingtank, as will be described in detail.

A is the movable section of the holder, and B is the tank. Said tank is in the form of an annular trough, and the space compassed by its inner wall is covered by the roof 0, so that there is an open space below said roof and within said annular trough. In consequence of the form of the tank the foundation upon which it rests must be in the form of a circle. Said foundation may be composed of piles driven into the earth, or of columns, or of masonry, as may be preferred by the builder or demanded by the circumstances.

The tank B is composed of the outer wall 13, the inner wall 13*, and the bottom B Said walls and bottom may be constructed in any suitable manner, all in one piece or in large or small plates riveted or otherwise secured together. This is immaterial for the purpose of the improvement herein described. The upper portion of the tank is open between the walls 13 and B and the space between said walls is filled with Water.

The section A consists of the roof A and the depending wall A The latter extends into the annular trough formed by the walls B and B and the water therein forms a seal between said walls B B and the wall A The periphery of the roof 0 is not joined continuously to the upper edge of the wall B so as to seal the lower portion of the gasspace Within the section A; but such seal is formed by forming a depending flange 0, extending around the periphery of the roof 0, of suffieient depth to dip into the water 63 in the annular tank, and the roof 0 merely rests upon the upper edge of the wall B By thus constructing the roof separate from the vertical inner wall of the tank we avoid the labor of joining the edge of said roof to the upper edge of said wall. WVhen such a joint is made by riveting, the labor is considerable. In ordinary holders it amounts to from one to three hundred feet of riveting. Furthermore, if the roof is left thus diseonnected, the latter may be raised or removed for repairs or other purposes after disconnecting the inlet and outlet pipes andthe supports, should the latter be used. Said flange 0 tends to hold said roof against lateral 8o movement upon the wall B but said roof may be further stayed bya stop or stops 0 applied to the lower face of the roof 0 at the inner side of the wall 13*. This seal may also be formed by placing a supplemental tankD (see Fig. 2) around the inner upper portion of the tank B and extending the flange G into said supplemental tank. Said supplemental tank may be placed into communication with the tank B by means of one or more holes cl, so that water will flow from said tank 13 into the tank D and rise to thesame level in the latter as in the former. The roof 0 may be stayed from below by suitable supports F rising from the ground or the wall B 5 of the tank B. A pipe G may extend hori- Zontall y beneath the tank from the gas-generating apparatus into the holder, and the pipe [I may open through the roof C and extend downward below the bottom of the tank B, and then horizontally outward to the distributing-pipe, such pipe being for the escape of gas from the holder. A pipe I may extend horizontally beneath the tank and open into the space encompassed by said tank and its roof. I-lot air may be delivered through said pipe into the space encompassed by said tank to warm said tank and its water and prevent the latter from freezing.

For the purpose of repairing the walls of the holder and for paintiu g the interior thereof to prevent corrosion we have made provision for access into the interior of said holder by means of a sealed man-hole J, located in the roof 0. Said man-hole consists of a well J, having around its lower portion an annular trough J and alid J with depending flanges J extending into said trough J By filling said trough with water a seal is formed around the periphery of said lid. The lid J must not extend above the upper surface of the 'roof C. lhe latter must be left clear to receive the roof A of the section A when landed. A pipe J may lead from the tank B into the tank J so that the water will pass from said tank into said trough and rise therein to the same level as in said tank. The object in making this connection between the trough and the tank is to guard against the yielding of said trough by evaporation.

In the use of the form of man-hole above described the holder must first be emptied of gas and the upper sections then raised by extraneous mechanical means, for the reason that the seal of the man-hole is completely broken by the removal of the lid .1. Fig. 4, however, shows a man-hole which may be always sealed. In this case the well extends to a considerable distance below the roof. The upper portion of the well has a trough J and lid .1, arranged as shown in Fig. 1, and at the lower portion of the well there is an additional trough L and a lid L, having a depending flange L extending into said trough. Thus a second seal is formed at the bottom of the longer well. A shelf M or similar means is arranged within the well just above the lid L. \Vhcn this form of man-hole is used, the holder may first be emptied of gas and then filled with air driven through one of the pipes G or II or an additional pipe added for this purpose. Such air may be driven by any of the well-known means, and we deem it unnecessary to illustrate such means. After the holder has thus been filled with air workmen may raise the lid I. and pass up into the well upon the shelf M, taking with them tools and material, and then close the lid L and raise the lid 1 and pass up through the roof 0 into the interior of the holder, where they can work in' an atmosphere of increased density due to the weight of the section A. If considerable work is to be done, the air may be brought to normal pressure by taking sticks of timber of equal length through the man-hole and setting them upright on the roof 0 and allowing the roof A to rest on their upper ends; or in some cases it may be practicable to chain the section A in its elevated position from the guide-framing of the holder.

It is to be observed that the man-hole J may be applied to the roof 0, whether the latter is joined directly to the wall B or makes a waterseal by means of the depending flange C.

\Ve claim as our invention 1. In a gas-holder, the combination of an annular tank B and section A, and a root C, extending over the space encompassed by said annular tank and resting loosely upon the latter, and having a depending flange extending around its periphery and into a water-seal, whereby the interior of the section A is sealed from the outer atmosphere, and suitable gas inlet and outlet pipes, substantially as shown and described.

In a gas-holder, the combination, with an annular tank 13 and section A, and a roof C, extending over the space encompassed by said annular tank and resting loosely upon the latter, and having a depending flange extending around its periphery and into a water-seal, whereby the interior of the section A is sealed from the outer atmosphere, and said roof being also provided with a stop or stops C and suitable gas inlet and outlet pipes, substantially as shown and described.

In a gas-holder, the combination of the section A, annular tank 15, roof 0, a well J, extending downward from the roof 0, and having around its lower portion an annular trough J 2 and a lid J with depending flanges J extendinginto said trough J said well and lid affording a passage for workmen from the open space within the annular tank upward into the interior of the holder when the section A is elevated, substantially as shown and described.

4:. In a gas-holder, the combination of the section A, annular tank 13, roof C, sealed manhole J, aitording access through said roof, a pipe J, leading from said tank to the seal of the man-hole, and suitable gas inlet and outlet pipos, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a gas-holder, the combination of the section A, annular tank B, roof 0, and a well J, extending downward from said roof and having around its lower portion an annular trough, and a sealed lid and trough located between said lower end and the upper surface of said roof, substantially as shown and described.

(i. In a gas-holder, the combination of the section A, annular tank B, roof 0, and a well J, extending downward from said roof and, in presence of two witnesses, this 6th day of having around its lower portion an annular August, in the year 1889. trough, and a sealed lid and trough located between said lower end and the upper surggg g g face of said roof, and a shelf M, supported by said well between said lids, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures,

Witnesses:

AMBROSE RISDON, FRANK L. STEVENS. 

